


Why Do You Fear The Stars?

by Yesacia



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: One Shot Collection, Prompt Fic, very short blurbs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2019-03-14 01:43:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 3,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13583340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yesacia/pseuds/Yesacia
Summary: The Paladins (And others) look out into space and reflect.A collection of small blurbs I typed up for a Prompt. Word count was supposed to be around 100, so pretty short, but I've never been able to follow rules very well. Some of these are kind of sad.





	1. Lance

    Lance stared out the window into the inky blackness of space with a sigh, shoulders slumped with exhaustion as he leaned his weight to one side. The low hum of the castle ship seeming so loud in the silence as he plucked off his helmet, eyes adjusting to vision not filtered by his visor. His reflection stared back at him with darkened, tired eyes, sad and longing, and he looked past it into the stars. His chest seemed to bubble with a mix of anxiety and fear each time he looked out there. He toyed absently with the helmet in his hands. Why did he feel afraid? Was it the fear of the next Galra attack and the worry he may not get out alive? Fear for losing another team mate like they'd lost Shiro? He used to find the stars exciting, comforting, dreaming of space adventures as a pilot, being a hero like Takashi Shirogane. Getting into the Garrison was a dream come true, but as he stared out into the cold and seemingly endless expanse, the twinkling of the stars seemed to be swallowed up. The bright colors of a distant nebula dimmed in his thoughts. He used to thank his lucky stars every day he got into the Garrison, but now, thinking of his mother's warm hugs and sandy beaches, he wished he'd never gone. He felt a pin prick in the back of his eyes, and tears caught in his lashes but refused to fall. His grip tightened on his helmet, glaring out into the uncaring darkness and biting the inside of his cheek.The empty seat where Shiro had been hung in his mind, the empty space before him outside seemed to mock him. He didn't want to lose anyone again. His body shaking, he didn't notice the helmet tumble out of his hands. He felt a violent urge as he thought of what remained of his team, the thunk of his helmet on the floor seemed to announce a cold finality to it all and he felt something inside him snap. A hatred for Zarkon catching fire in his chest, a soft, protective light in his heart seemed to be drowning in desperation to save them all.

But he couldn't protect them all.

This was war after all.


	2. Keith

  Keith sat on the edge of his seat, a firm grip on the controls as he stared out in to the wide view of outer space the Red Lion gave him. It was beautiful, and terrifying. The stars sparkled in swirls of oranges and greens that created a watercolor effect out in the deep distance, majestic, nearly magical. He never could get over just how magnificent space was.

  He also couldn't comprehend the sheer size of it all, and it pressed down on him.

  He should be used to being alone, but in the aching silence of the Red Lion, the overwhelming vastness of space, he never felt more small. More alone. He needed to find Shiro again. He couldn't be alone anymore. As he looked around, a sea of beautiful colors and shining stars as far as the eye could see, he felt like he was drowning in it. There was so much. Too Much. Would he ever find Shiro? A hint of a whimper escaped him. Space seemed to go on forever. He shuddered, he couldn't be alone anymore, he didn't think he could take it. He felt himself curling up into a ball in his seat, new tears streaming down his cheeks and cutting down through salty lines from the first round.

What if he went missing too?

Would anyone even look for him?


	3. Hunk

  Hunk smiled at the bright expanse of stars outside the window, bright yellows and oranges splattered across the black like spilled paint. He admired the foreign stars, drawing lines with his eyes to make up his own constellations. At first he was so afraid of what was out there in the darkness, aliens and Zarkon, a crushing reminder he wasn't home, a desperate urge to run away. He was an engineer, damn it, not a soldier.

  
  He let out a gentle sigh as his eyes locked on on group of stars in particular, taking a long moment to connect the dots. Being out here was sad, for sure, but he didn't feel the fear he once did. They'd accomplished so much and helped so many people, he was even glad for the unexpected journey he found himself launched into.

He stopped Coran as he passed by.

"Hey, Coran?" Coran made a curious noise and paused.

"Yes, what can I do for you Hunk?" The yellow paladin pointed to the fairly large star cluster, and smiled.

"What's that?"

"Hm." Coran looked out the window. "Well, I'm not sure. I could look it up and see if it's logged anywhere." He smiled fondly with a hand on his hip, seeming to be equally enamored by the larger mans current fixation. "Looks a bit like one of the Lions, doesn't it?" Hunk nodded.

"Yeah, sure does." Coran walked away to find out if it was logged anywhere, and he grinned at the lion constellation. It looked proud and fierce, and in the deep darkness it seemed to shine even brighter.

Yeah, there was a lot to fear out here in the stars, but he couldn't be more happy.


	4. Pidge

   Pidge smiled in the control room, waving her hand around the holographic map of the stars as she referenced her laptop. They were so close, and it wasn't lack of sleep talking. She could feel it in her heart as sure as she felt the shaking in her tired legs and heaviness in her eyelids.

  
  Being the youngest in the group, she supposed this much content should make her feel some kind of despair or maybe be a bit overwhelmed. She'd even been asked a few times by the other paladins how she was doing, how she was handling it all. Sure, being thrown into an alien space war might frighten other children her age. She even had to admit every once in a while, if she let herself think about it, staring up at this star map scared her, just a little. If she was honest, it put just a hint doubt in her heart, the thought of how it all seemed to go on forever, thinking mathematically about the slim chance of her even finding him. With a flick of her hand she spun the map, and tossed the thoughts away. They never had the chance to return as she found herself distracted by something on the map, she caught briefly on the map, frantically spinning it back around to find it again.

  A red blip on the map caught her eye, filling her with excitement and hope, crushing any sadness or disappointment she had felt for the star map just a moment ago. A big grin pulled up her face. Why did she have to fear? She had the Green Lion, and stars couldn't hurt her.

  Matt was out there, and she was going to find him.


	5. Shiro

  Shiro watched the others lounge around the couches in the common room, a soft smile on his face. Lance complained about his legs hurting, and Keith grumbled in the seat beside him about a headache. Pidge was already asleep, worked to exhaustion, leaning against Hunk and snoring softly. Hunk didn't seem to be far behind her, ready to fall asleep himself. He made his way to the kitchen to gather them some drinks, Coran quick to assist. The others seemed grateful to have them on their return, or as grateful as kids could be after working so hard. Hunk jolting awake and Pidge groaning, not at all pleased as Lance practically inhaled his drink. Keith didn't say a word, but his gratitude was shown in his eyes. 

  Shiro let out a soft breath, content they were satisfied for now. He decided to wash up, so he announced his pride and told them how well they'd done in the training before leaving the room practically unnoticed. Not that he'd tried to sneak out, but it spoke volumes as to how tired they were. He paused at a window with a tired sigh, staring out into space and letting his shoulders slump lazily. He was tired too. his shoulders ached, a tightness in his chest refused to leave. His head hurt and he wasn't sure if it was because of his spinning thoughts or the fact Lance's attempt at a flip had ended badly for everyone, including Shiro. He rubbed his head and couldn't help a smile at the bump there. The boy had apologized profusely, to the point he nearly made himself sick. Shiro could almost hear Lance's pout at being called a _boy_ instead of a _man_.

  The fact of the matter was he _was_ just a boy. They were all kids, really, and at twenty-five Shiro wasn't much older- but god did he feel it. Looking out into space he felt the corner of his mouth twitch, recalling his youth and the garrison. How much he'd been through. He had to make sure these other pilots never had to endure what he suffered. He had to take care of them.

There was a lot out there, though.

  Maybe it was the darkness of space, but boy did he look old. Tired. In pain. He ignored the bags under his eyes and chalked it up to a silly reflection and the way a distant violet and blue nebula swirled against his reflection. A very small star flickered a little, as if to encourage him. He rubbed a smudge off the window so he could view it better, not that it had impeded his vision much. He just couldn't stand to see it even slightly blurred, for some reason. Content, he admired the star and tilted his head a little. It was a nice enough little star. It seemed to block out the nasty thoughts of the terrors that swam in the depths of space. Even the shark that prowled the darker waters of his mind seemed to take pause. It didn't last long though, nothing ever did. He reached out to the window, but froze, eyes locked on the mechanical Galra contraption they'd forced on to him. 

He couldn't keep himself safe from the horrors out there in the stars.

How did he expect to help them?


	6. Coran

Coran practically leapt up in his bed, chest heaving, face wet from sweat and tears. He looked around the room, half expecting it to be on fire. When it wasn't, he let out a relieved sigh and swung his legs over the bed, slipping on some dusty old slippers and a robe, leaving the room with a sense of urgency but too tired to run. The door to Allura's room slid open easily, and he smiled when he saw her sleeping soundly, a map of the stars projected on the wall like a dim glowing nightlight, focusing on Altea in the center. He stared at it a long time, tired eyes blurring it slightly the longer he stared. He used to look out at the stars and consider endless possibilities, often talking to Alfor about a universe unified in peace, laughing and joyful. Now those endless possibilities all felt like threats, and he cast a sad glance to Allura. She was still so young, a child, practically. He could recall bouncing her on his knee, babysitting while Alfor was in meetings. She had so much on her shoulders now, and so much pain in her heart. He never would have dreamed this could have happened, that she'd lose her father, that he'd lose his dearest friend. He walked in and adjusted the blanket, tucking her in a bit more and closing the book that was sprawled open beside her. He kissed her forehead and set the book down on her bedside table, tears stinging his eyes. He recalled her tears from falling during her first steps, frustrating arguments to get her to eat her food. He glanced back at the map as he made his way out, wondering how much of that map was Galra territory. Every star felt like an enemy combatant, and he would fight every single one until his last breath. The door slipped closed behind him as he made his way to the Paladins rooms to check in on them. For Princess Allura's safety and happiness, for the five Paladins that lived with them, and even the small space mice that took up residence in Allura's jewelry box, he'd fight every star in the sky.


	7. Allura

Allura felt a mix of sorrow and joy as she looked up at the starry night sky from outside the castle ship. The solid rocky ground beneath her feet seemed non-existent, as if she were floating. It was all so much to take in, how long they'd been asleep. Her father being gone, and Zarkon still out there. The new Paladins, the new blue Paladin. The missing previous Blue Paladin. Where in that deep darkness was Zarkon now? The next threat? Was there anything left out there that wasn't Galra? Were there any other Alteans? Her knees shook as she forced her self to hold in the tears, a soft whimper crept from her throat at the thought. She was so alone. Her friends? Her mother? Coran was all that was left, and the countless stars seemed to mock her, dusted across the sky and forming numerous constellations she barely remembered. There were so many stars, and how many of them were Galran now? She didn't know if it was worth fighting. A part of her wanted to run away to some part of space the Galra hadn't touched yet, but she wasn't sure there was one. Another part practically demanded that she stand and fight, to preserve what little she had left. She didn't have much hope in these new paladins, but they were all the hope she had. She wasn't sure how to feel, it was all so much and a part of her was going numb, training as a Princess and a diplomat taking over, standing firm and tall, proud of herself and willing to do it all to make her father proud, to honor his memory. She felt assured, striding back into the castle ship, but not able to look up at the stars any longer. She would be brave, she would be courageous, she would be all she could.

She was never more afraid of the stars in her life.


	8. Lotor

Oh how his shoulders ached, and his eyes burned from lack of sleep, but Lotor stared out in to the empty space on his view screen stoically, calculating. Processing. He had to come up with an all new plan. He hadn't expected Narti would betray him. He hadn't expected Acxa to shoot him, either, but at least he could understand it. Her final words ringing in his ears and rattling his cage.  
For Narti.  
Yes. But what about Lotor? He drummed his fingers on the controls impatiently, though the cool expression on his face didn't give way. He had no one to pretend for, no one to play up to, but not even these stars would witness his weakness. He would deny it all to the end. His end. The end of his plans. To any end, he supposed. He leaned back in his seat as if he hadn't just recently dislocated his shoulders to escape his generals, his most trusted compatriots. The bones practically screamed and the muscles protested, one bicep twitching as the fingers on his other hand shook. His face still did not cave.  
He glared out into the blasphemous stars, glowing brightly as if in some kind of sarcastic good cheer. It reminded him a bit of that cheeky little Ezor.  
He couldn't hold it against them, his generals were doing what they felt the had to. Acxa made a good commander. She was his most loyal, and for her to have a part in this hurt him just the slightest, but he could understand it. He was proud she'd taken the command. Proud she'd done what she felt she must, for her and the others. Zethrid's apology before he had escaped had stirred up his anger but he was a bit glad to know at least one of them felt some kind of remorse.   
He wondered how long they'd planned this.   
Maybe it hadn't been just Narti.  
The glittering stars and vibrant colors of galaxies far away seemed to mock him and his feelings of betrayal. A lot of them were Galran. He wasn't quite welcome there, but the others were with Voltron. He wasn't quite invited out that way either. It was a delicate place, but he'd been here before. He wasn't a recognized and formidable warrior of the Galran Empire for no reason, not that he was with the empire anymore.  
He was so tired.  
He got as comfortable as he could, though his mind still stormed and and his eyes still scanned for threats, hands on the controls like they'd help him keep face, as if his firm grip and cool expression would help him maintain control.  
A random shooting star made him jump a little, followed by a second, much brighter, as if poking fun at the fact he'd jumped or his illusions of control. He growled, slamming his visor down, and the lights were snuffed out.


	9. Acxa

Acxa held her face in her hands, her whole world seeming to be splitting at the seams. Her Prince Lotor, the one she admired and looked up to with such pride in her heart, had slain Narti without seeming to have a second thought. He never brought it up again, never showed any remorse, the same calm and calculating look on his face that he'd always had. So cool and collected over her still body, walking away before she'd even gone cold. The others had turned on him so fast. Ezor was so hurt, and Zethrid seemed lost. She clung to her loyalty until it was undeniable, and even now she felt so much guilt in her heart. She sighed, glaring up into the stars and their dim shine, so flat against the dark sky, cold and expressionless. She wasn't sure why that stirred something in her. Out there, in the uncaring stars, was Zarkon. They were taking Lotor there, and she knew what waited for him there. It ate at her still, and she put her face back into her hands, too terrified to look on to them an longer.   
"Acxa! Acxa!" The voice coming through the coms was higher pitched and panicked, and she immediately replied.  
"What's wrong Ezor?" Her voice came surprisingly calm.  
"It's Lotor! He's...He's gone!" A shot in the dark outside her window caught her attention. An escape pod. A slight smile managed to sneak onto her face. There he went. Part of her was afraid for what would come of them, but if she was honest? Most of her was relieved.   
"Lotor..." She sighed, and the stars seemed to regain their light as he sped away. She was a little less afraid now, and she hoped against hope those stars would keep him safe.


End file.
